Paper interfolding machine



juune'fi, 1923.

W. T. LAZAR PAPER INTERFOLDING MAC HINE . Filed Nov. 3, L921 4 Sheets-Sheet i June 5, 1923. I 1,457,978

w. T. LAZAR PAPER INTERFOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 5, 1923.

W. T. LAZAR PAPER INTERFOLDING MACHINE 4 Sheer.sSheet 4 Filed Nov. 5 1921 Patented June 5, 1923.

UNITED STTES WILLIMZE 'E. LAZAR, 0F APPLETGN, KSCONQIN'.

PAPER INTERFOLIDING .MACHINE.

Application filed November 3, 1921. Serial No. 512,569.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. LAzAR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Appleton, county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Paper llnterfolding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a paper-interfolding machine wherein a plurality of rollers are provided with improved cutting securing and interfolding means ar-' ranged to sever sheets from a plurality of paper webs and to deliver said sheets in interfolded relation.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved machine of the character described for severing and interfolding sheets of paper from a plurality of webs.

Another prime object is to provide improved means for severing sheets from a plurality of webs to facilitate the interfolding of said sheets.

A further object is to provide improved means for securing the ends of the severed sheets prior to the interfolding with adjacent sheets. I

Another object is to provide a simplified and improved folding means whereby the severed ends of sheets cut from one web may be folded within a centrally disposed fold in a sheet cut from another web.

A still further object is to provide a machine of the character described embodying a simplified construction adapted to give increased efficiency.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout said specification and drawings, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved paper interfolding machine, the housing being removed to disclose the operating elements;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine as disclosed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine as shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a broken side elevation partly in section of a folder roll;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken along the 'line 6-6 ofFig. 5 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 7 is a broken detail disclosing the manner in which a web is fed to the cutting andfolding rollers;

Fig. 8 is a broken detail disclosing the manner in which the web is pierced prior to complete severance; andv Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail showing the manner in which the sheets are interfolded.

The present invention is an improvement upon my former invention patented March 22nd, 1921, No. 1,37 2,173, reference to which is hereby made. As in my former invention, my improved paper interfolding machine comprises a pan of folder rolls 2 rotatably mounted in proximate relation between housmg members 1. A cutter roll 3 is rotatably mounted between the members 1 in proximate relation with each folder roll 2. One of the folder rolls 2 is arranged to be connected to a source of power, not shown, said roll 2 being provided with a gear 4 meshing with a similar gear 5 upon the other folder roll 2. The cutter rolls are provided with gears 6 meshin with the gears 4 and 5,0f the adjacent folder roll, the gears 4: and 5 operating to rotate folder rolls 2 in opposite directions, and by means of the gears 6 to rotate each cutter roll 3 in a direction opposite to that of its adjacent folder roll.

Each folder roll 2 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed folder blade slots 7 arranged to receive a folder blade 8 slidably mounted therein and provided with cam rollers 9 adapted to engage cams 11 secured upon the housing members 1 whereby said folder blade may be advanced against the tension of springs 12 to normally hold said blades resiliently seated upon springs 13 within the slot 3 as fully described in the above mentioned patent.

Each folder roll is also provided with a pair of gripping jaw slots 14 positioned midway between the slots 3 and arranged to receive movable gripping jaws 16 normally held in a closed position by springs 17. The jaws 16 are actuated by lever arms 18 having cam rollers 19 at the end thereof arranged to engage cams 21 and 22 secured upon the housing members 1 to open said jaws at predetermined intervals. I

The cutter rolls 3 are provided with diametrically opposed knives 23 adapted to enter the slots 7 of the rolls 2, the rolls 2 and 3 being arranged to rotate synchronically so that each knife will enter its corresponding slot 7 at each revolution.

Separate webs 24 and 25 of paper are fed between each cutter roll and its proximate folder roll 2 by upper and lower feed rolls 26 and 27 mounted between the lions ing members 1. The rolls 26 and 27 are rotated at the same peripheral speed as the cutter and feed rolls by meshing gears 28 and 29 driven by pinions31 meshing with ars 32- mounted upon the folder roll. An idler roll 33 is mounted adjacent one pauof the feed rollers to guide the web 24 thereto so that both webs may be dispensed to the machine from the same end thereof.

My present invention is directed particularly to improvements in the cutting and folding means whereby the web is severed during one portion of the rotation of the several rolls and the severed ends interfolded at the center of an adjacent sheet during another portion. of the revolution which I accomplish as follows.

'The webs 24 and 25 which may be of paper toweling or other suitable material are dis used simultaneously to the ma chine, rom supply rolls, not shown, between the feed rolls 26 and 27. Each lower feed roll 26 is provided with a plurality of spaced Z-shaped piercing blades 34 arranged to enter corresponding recesses 36 formed in the upper roll 27. The blades 34 are preferably shaped to form two oppositely disposed points 37 as best disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The feed rollers are made of a diameter equal to one half the diameter of the folder and cutter rolls and are so timed that the points 37 will be moved into contact with the folder roll upon opposite sides of the slot 7.

The cutter knives 23 upon the roll 3 are recessed as at 38 to match with the pierced points 37, in such a manner that when said knives are moved into the slots 7 by the rotation of the rolls, the web will be severed as shown in Fig. 7. In this manner the points 37 are caused to extend across the slot 7 where they are impaled upon projecting points 39 secured upon the folder rolls 2 adjacent said slot. A resilient packing 41 is provided upon both sides of the cutter knives to receive the points 39 while said points are moving past the cutter roll. In this manner the sheet is entirely severed from the web and tabs formed upon each of the severed ends, said tabs extending across the slot 7 for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

Fig. 7 illustrates the manner in which sheets are severed from a web. In the drawings I have assumed the web to be extended rearwardly from the feed roll, the points 37 to be pierced at the next rotation p51 said feed roll being indicated in dotted es. The cutting and folding elements of the rolls upon one end of the machine are ar- 'blado will move into coincidence with the gripping jaw of the opposite folder roll at the other end of the machine, and sheets will be severed alternately from the webs in such manner that the severed ends of adjacent sheets cut from one web will fall opposite the center of the opposite sheet cut from the other web.

The folder blades 8 are arranged to be advanced by the cam 11 to enter the gripping jaw slot 14 of the opposite roll each time said blade and said slot are moved into proximate position, the forward movement of the blade 8 operating to displace the tabs 37 from the points 39 and to force said tabs and the center of the opposite sheet into said slot at a moment when the jaw 16 is moved into an open osition by the cam 22. Immediately after tie web portions have been introduced into the jaw slot, the jaw 16 is released and permitted to be moved by the springs, 17 into gripping relation with the webs, the folder blade 8 receding simultaneously with the closing of the jaw 16. The closing of the jaw 16 forms a fold at the center of the inner sheet within which the severed ends of the opposite sheets are held by means of the tabs 37 as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

As the interfolded sheets are carried downwardly by the rotation of the rolls, the jaws 16 are caused by' the cams '21 to open and release the folded edge just rior to reaching the lowermost position. gtripper wires 42 are mounted in grooves 43 upon the surfaces of the rolls,2 and over pulleys 47 upon shafts 44, said wires serving to strip the sheets from the rolls and direct them upon suitable conveyors 46 and 27 whereby they are carried to a convenient point of delivery, not shown.

From the above description it will be seen that the provision of the knives 34, which need not be made of thespecific form or shape disclosed but may be made arcuate or other suitable shape, results in the' formation of tabs which are arranged to extend across the folder blade slot 7 and to be engaged upon the far side thereof to secure the severed ends upon the roll while said ends are being carried to the folding position, at which position a single folder blade 8 is advanced to move the tabs into engagementwith the folding means whereby the severed ends of the sheet are gripped within the fold of the adjacent sheet and delivered in that position to the conveying means. The insertion of the tab points within the fold does not materially increase the thickness at the foldand as the tabs are secured in a position extending across the folder slot the operative engagement of the folder blades with said tabs is insured.

Having thus described my invention what nally earners I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

i. In a paper folding machine'the cornbination with folder rolls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and cutter rolls coacting with said folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from a plurality of continuous webs, supplied to said rolls, of means for forming tabs upon the severed ends of the sheets; to extend across the slots in the folder rolls.

2. In a aper foldin machine the combination with folder rolls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and cutter rolls coacting with said folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from a plurality of continuous webs, supplied to said rolls, of means for forming tabs upon the severed ends of the sheets to extend across the slots in the folder rolls; and means mounted upon said folder rolls for engaging said tabs to carry the severed ends to an interfolding position.

3.1m a paper foldin machine the combination with folder rolls having longitudidisposed slots therein and cutter rolls with said'folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from'a plurality of continuous webs supplied to said rolls, of means for forming tabs upon the severed ends of the sheets to extend across the slots in the folder rolls: means mounted upon said folder rolls for engaging said tabs to carry the severed ends to an interfolding position of the rolls; and means mounted within the folder rolls for interfolding said severed ends within a fold formed in an adjacent sheet.

4. In a paper folding machine the combination with folder rolls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and cutter rolls coacting with said folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from a plurality of continuous webs supplied to said rolls, of means for forming tabs upon the severed ends of the sheets, to extend across the slots in the folder rolls; means mounted upon the folder rolls for engaging said tabs to carry the severed ends to an interfolding position of the rolls; means mounted upon the folder rolls for forming a fold in a sheet of paper; and means cooperating with said folding means for moving said tabs into said fold to interfold the ends of adjacent sheets severed from another web within said sheet.

5. In a paper interfolding machine, the combination with a pair of folder rolls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and cutter rolls mounted adjacent said folder rolls and having recessed cutter blades secured thereon to coact with the slots in the folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from a plurality of webs supplied therebetween; of feed rollers mounted adjacent to and arranged to feed said webs to said cutter and feed rolls; and piercing means mounted upon said feed rollers in alignment with the recoacting cesses of the cutter blades and operating in I conjunction therewith to form tabs upon the severed ends of the sheets, said tabs being adapted to extend across a slot in one of the folder rolls.

*8. lln a paper interfolding machine, the combination with a pair of folder rolls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and cutter rolls mounted adjacent said folder rolls and having recessed cutter blades secured thereon to coact with the slots in the folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from a plurality of webs supplied therebetween; of feed rollers mounted adjacent to and arranged to feed s'aid webs to said cutter and feed rolls; piercing means mounted upon said feed rollers in ali nment with the recesses of the cutter bla es and operating in conjunction therewith to form tabs upon the severed ends'of the sheets, said tabs being adapted to extend across a. slot in one of the folder rolls; folding means mounted within the folder rolls; folder blades mounted within the slots on said folder rolls; and means for actuating the folder blades to engage the tabs upon the ends of sheets severed from one Web and to move said tabs and the mid-portion of an opposite sheet severed from another web into the folding means to form a fold in said opposite sheet and to interfold said severed ends therein.

7. In a paper interfolding machine, the

combination with a pair of folder rolls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and cutter rolls mounted adjacent said folder rolls and having recessed cutter blades secured thereon to coact with the slots in the folder rolls to sever sheets of paper from a plurality of webs supplied therebetween; of feed rollers mounted adjacent to and arranged to feed said webs to said cutter and feed rolls; piercing means mounted upon said feed rollers in ali ment with the recesses of the cutter bla es and operating in conjunction therewith to. form tabs upon the severed ends of the sheets, said tabs being adapted to extend across a slot in one of the folder rolls; and points mounted upon the folder roll to engage said tabs to hold the sevlered ends in operative position upon the rol 8. In a paper folding machine, the combination with a pair of folder rolls and a pair of cutter rolls mounted in proximate relation thereto and operating in conjunction therewith to sever sheets from webs of paper fed thereto, of lower feed rollers mounted adjacent the feed and cutter rolls; a plurality of piercing blades mounted in spaced relation upon said lower rollers; upper feed rollers mounted in proximate relation with the lower feed rolls and having recesses formed in the surface thereof to match with the piercing blades and to receive the same, when the rolls are rotated to feedsaid webs to the cutting and folding rolls, to cut oppositely disposed points upon the webs, said points being adapted to form tabs upon the ends of sheets subsequently severed from the web by'the cutting and folding rolls.

9. In a paper interfolding machine, a cutting means comprising a lower feed roll; a plurality of piercing blades mounted in spaced relation in longitudinal alignment on said lower roll; an upper feed roll having recesses formed in the surface thereof in matching relation with the piercing blades and timed to coincide with and receive said blades for cuttin oppositely disposed points upon a web od between the rolls; and a cutting blade provided with a cutting edgehaving recesses in alignment with thepiercing blades and arranged to sever the web in alignment with the pierced points, said points extending through the recesses of the knives and being unsevered thereby 'to form tabs upon the severed ends' of the web.

10. In a paper folding machine, a cutting Maven means comprising a plurality of Z-shaped piercing blades arranged in spaced alignment to pierce a web; and a cutting knife having recesses aligned with the piercing blades for severing a sheet from the web along the line defined by the piercing blades, and leaving unsevered, tabs formed by the piercing edges and extending past the cutting blade.

11. In a paper folding machine, a cutting means comprising a plurality of Z-shaped piercing'blades arranged in spaced alignment to pierce a web; a cutting knife hav ing recesses formed upon its cutting edge aligned with the piercing blades for severing a sheet from the web along the line defined by the piercing blades, said piercing blades being arranged to form oppositely extending tabs upon the severed ends of the web; and means engagingthe tabsfor carrying said severed ends to an interfolding position.

In witness whereof I hereunto set m signature.

,- WILLIAM T. LAZAR. 

